The use of hanging packages made from stiff material such as paperboard, plastic and the like are well known in the art, particularly for the display of clothing, hardware and other goods on point-of-purchase displays. Generally, these packages take the form of blister packs mounted on paperboard, envelopes provided with paperboard stiffeners and other combinations of paperboard and plastic, all of which usually contain an opening or hook for suspending the package from a pin element on a point-of-purchase display. However, prior art packages for socks, hosiery and other related goods have generally been formed by paperbands applied either with a water soluble gum or a pressure sensitive adhesive in combination with a plastic hook at the heel gore, or, by nonadhesive paperboard packages including window areas, and which incorporate a hook or other pin element suspending opening.
The following list of United States patents illustrate some of the prior art packages used for hosiery, clothing and other items:
U.s. pat. No. 2,816,653 (206/46) PA1 U.s. pat. No. 3,029,938 (206/79) PA1 U.s. pat. No. 3,227,268 (206/46) PA1 U.s. pat. No. 3,252,567 (206/46) PA1 U.s. pat. No. 3,414,175 (223/85)
As will be seen from the above noted prior art, packages for hosiery have included forms around which the hose are folded with alternate complete enclosures or combination labels and end protectors. Meanwhile, the prior art also shows hanger devices, folded display mounts and protective covers for articles of clothing and hardware that can be suspended on point-of-purchase displays. However, a careful review of the prior art will show that none of the previous efforts provide a package that offers the convenience, simplicity and economy of the package of the present invention.